Device for separating the constituent parts of heterogeneous mixtures



Feb. 3, 1925.4 1,524,838

A. F. MULLER I DEVICE FOR SEPARATING THEQCONSTITUEN' I PARTS OF HE'IEROQENEOUS MIXTURES Filed Feb. 7. 11921 "composed, and hence causing a separation of the liquid, and delivering them as, re-

Patented Feb. 3, 1 925.

" UN D ST anon" rnmnmcn "Mil'LLER, or mons'rnn, wEs'rrKALinemfi-Anz} amines ron SEPARATING' TH Application fil ed February To all whom a ma, Be it known that I,\.A D0LF K Germany, have invented/certain new and useful Improvements 1n, Devices; for ,Separating the Constituent Parts of Heterogeheous Mixtures (for-which I have filed :application in Germany Feb. 10, 1919,. Switzerland March 9, 1920, Italy;June -'18, 1920,'

FranceJune 19,1920, and England June 28, 1920),

My invention relates to van apparatus for separating the constituent partsof heterogeneous mixtures especially for the purpose for recovering the still combustible elements of the residues of furnaceinstallations, by.

the aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid.

possessing a greater density than a portion of the constituents of which the m xture 1s of these said constituents according to. their specific gravity; One feature of the inven-, tion, resides in the arrangement of at least two superposed conveyors dipping intoa. vessel. containing the separating liquid, and

adapted to receive-the constituent elements,

form illustrated, the" upper trough extends for separating them in-the-liquid,'at various levels thereof and raising them, entirely separated from" each other, above thelevelw quired. p V

Another feature of the invention is the employment of a receptacle or tank having. its greatest depth atonerend thereof,othe tendency of the heavierconstituent parts of heterogeneous mixturesbeing to settleat the deepest end of-the receptacle.

Another feature is the employment of a plurality of. superposed conveyorshaving different level reaches relative tothe'liquid, in :thereceptacle, the greatest depth of said conveyors below the leveljot the liquid being at "the. deepest, end oi thev receptacle,'and the lowermost of the conveyors;

" being adjacent to the bottom of the receptacle and the reach thereof'eiitending to the greatest depth oi' the liquidin the receps tacle. t One embodiment of vthei subject matter of my invention, eomprisingqtwo superposed E GbNSiTITUENT PARTS MIXTURE-5., .7

of which thefollowing is-a specifica 1 container as .well- 1 .7; lez Qsemi 4.43. i

axis of theworms,

in F g. 1.1 t r Within the liquid container which is ro: vided at the portio ends with a charging'funii 4 mp le in the accompany ng drawing,-- 1n" F g. .1 is'ave1'tical "section"through the 1-- Y yO fS, is shown by way o'fiexa F IE I H, Ml j'LLER, arcitizen of Germany, residing at. 21, Junkerstrasse, Munster, Westphalia;

Fig. 2 is across sandala1on 1in-e'A B 1 arranged two worms 'd,"the;inclined'super-f allel with the inclined underside of the conposed axes 0 ofwliich are'snbsta'ntially par- Itain'er. At one of their e'nds'the saidworms are adaptedto support two'inte'rengagi'ng toothed wheels 6 of unequal size, of which the smallen'is mounted on the-lower wormaxis, driven a'counter shaft'through the I intervention of a' joint coupling. In this an rangenient, the worms possess an opposite direction of rotation relat vely toeach other,

'and'are so constructed as to be "ableto run] counterto each other in"orderto deliver" e: in the samedirec'tioir. The troughs in which 7' the worms arel'odg'ed, the sectional shape -offwfhichtisf disclosed injfFigl 2, project beyond the "level of the separatingliquid;

contained within theirece'ptaclea. In the beyond the lower, solfthatftlie discharge points forjth'e'ltwo wworms are-separated from each other. If preferred,tlie worms may be made equally long, provided ca-re betaken that the materialdelivered by each conveyor gworm, hey-discharged separately;

say for example, through downwardly 1nclined chutes conductingjto difierent points.-

I The bottom "of'tlie' upper trough is-profvided with apertures or openings which-may;

it thought expedient, extend beyond/the worm geonstitutesthe bottom of the liquid I y A valve 9 is rotatablvdisposed iiiithin the charging funnel which, and -,ow to the provision of a counter weight it, will as a rule bear up against a stop arranged within the funnel, and effect the closure thereof. As soon as a certain quantity of working material has been filled in, the weight is overbalanced and the valve drops, and thus causes the material to'atonce fall into the container a. This latter is filled to i a little below the lower edge of the'discharge end of the lower worm with the separating liquid. This latter consists of a liquid which is considerably heavier than water, and also possesses a higherspecific gravity.- than the lighter constituents about to be separated from the working material.

The liquids suitablefor the purpose speci fied-will be found to be the salt solutions. such as the lyes produced in.the manufacture of potash and dilute molasses. A more suitable fluid mixture however, for the purv pose specified,;will be a liquid having a saturated content of pulver'ulent materials,

such as pulverized clay, lime, chalk, brickdust, andan y other finely divided earthy material's. Of thev constituent elements of the working material the heavier, such as stones, solid clinkers, etc, will at once sink to the bottom in the separating liquid, the

threads of the upper worm presenting no" obstacle vwhatever. They, thereupon collect in the lower tapering portion of the container, are here caught ,up by the lower worm, raised above thelevel of the liquid,

and discharged at the righthand end ofthe The lighter constituents, such as fragments of coke and unburnt coal, besides or even more conveyors, one above the other,

device.

other substances which may still be used, such. as bits of wood, tanning bark, cotton waste, leather-cuttings, and the like will keep more to the surface, or may perhaps in part even slowly sink down in the liquid in' proportion as they are penetrated by the same... All these floating masses are received by the upper worm, raised out. of theliquid, and moved across the perforated bottom of the trough]; to the discharge opening of the samezand are thus separately discharged from the machine. As the material is being raised within the worm casing, the liquid carried along has ample opportunity to flow ofl, running partly through the gaps be-" tween the worm and the trough, partly] through thesieve-like bottom of said trough,

and thus again joining the liquid in the container. By this arrangement there is obtained a two-fold advantage, on the one at a greater speed than the upper, it will obviousl deliver more liquid. As a result there ta es place a continual circulation of the liquidfrom the lower trough through a the openings in the bottom of the upper trough, within this latter, and thence again back to the containerpa-At the same time the liquid is thoroughly agitated and stirred, thereby securing an equable and uniform distribution of the clay or other masses, so that the liquid will permanently retain" the same density, a fact of prime importance for a proper separating process.

In this connection 'it has been discovered that, owing to the undulating motion of the liquid which 1s caused by the rotation of the worms and which I to a certain extent produces a'n 'additional lifting action, the

ing liquid are employed as separating meansthe fairly solid sediment which may form itself at lthe bottom of the container,

will be acted upon with comparative ease. It is understood,jhowever, that my invention is in no way restricted to the use of worms as means toextract the separated constituents from a liquid, and to cause their discharge from the containers or receptacles. 1

If necessary, there may be arranged three in the place of the two shown by way of example, namely in all cases where more than two heavy 'constitutents of different weight are to be separated from the working material. This will particularly be the case where, as frequently happens, the said material'cont'ains besides rock, solid clinkers, coke'and unburnt fragments of coal, also porous slag and'spo-ngy coke. In such a contingency, on three worms being arranged, the one uppermost would beused to select and convey-the last-mentioned constitutents, the intermediate worm the good coke and the unburnt fragments of coal, in other words, the most valuable materials, while the lowermost worm would be employed to clear away the fragments of rock and the heavy clinkers. In mostcases, however, it will be found advisable for the purpose of effecting a separation among more. than two COIlStltLlBl'ltS,*I10i3 to erect the worms in a common" container, but to make use of a plurality of sets, arranged in a series, each set being provided withtwo conveyors, and the receptacle of the one set alwayscontaming a heavier separating liquid than that of the set immediately preceding, It will thus be seen that the structure in accordance y and a point of stantial advantages overand above the constructions already known.

The apparatus is intended primarily for the recovering of suchelementsof theresidues of furnace installations which are still combustible. It is, howeveiy obvious that it will be equally applicable for working -up other mixtures still containing valuable constituents, such as' Workshop sweepings, f1 7 thei'same' plane,--the conveyors having different level reaches relative to said waste cuttings of divers kind, for the separation of the very light particles ofpumicestone for the purposeof pottery trade, and the like. Having thus describedniy invention," it

should be understood that there may be modifications thereof and variations therein lowermost conveyor being rotated in direc without departing from the spirit of theinvention or exceeding the s'copeof the 'ap pended claims;

I cla1m:

1. An apparatus for obtaining a fuel from the residues of furnace installations, comprising: a receptacle; a separating fluid in the receptacle, adapted to separate in a hydrostatic Way the slaggy constituents of the residues from the coke-like constituents;

said receptacle having afeedinghopper and a 7 point of greater depth to receive said slaggy I constituents; a plurality of superimposed conveyors each of them slantingly extends ing into said receptacle and adapted to separately seize and discharge saiddifi'erent constituents; the lower end portionsof both;

said conveyors being disposed between said feeding hop-per and said point ofgreater" depth without substantially impeding the slaggy constituents from sinking down to said point of greaterdepth; and means'to operate said conveyors.

2. An apparatus for obtaining a fuel fromthe residues of furnace installations, comprising: a receptacle; a separating fluid in the'receptacle, adapted to separate in a hydrostatic way the residues from the coke-like constituents; said receptacle having a feeding opening greatest depth to receive the slaggy constituents; a conveyor into said receptacle down to said point of greatest depthand adapted to seize and discharge said slaggy constituents; a second conveyor beneath said feeding opening and extending into said receptacle and ending on a level higher than the deepest vpoint of said first namedconveyor, and adapted to seize and'discharge said coke-like constitucuts; means within the reach of the second conveyor; a substantia-llyfree passage between said feeding opening, and said point of greatest depth; and means to operate said conveyors.

3. An apparatus for separating the conthe'slaggy constituents of extending stituents adjacent to said second 0on veyor to confine the coke-like constituents said apparatus comprising, a'receptacle having a point ofgreatest depth for liquidy separating-liquid in the'receptacle having a specific gravity) intermediate the specific gravities of the constituents of the mixture;

means for feeding" materialinto said liquid;

said liquid with their axes substantially ll p r i y f uperposed rotatable convey 'ors extending-into the receptacle and into liquid; the' -lowel 'most conveyor being adjacent tothebottom of the receptacle and greatest depth of the liquid in the recepso the reach thereofextendingtothe point of tacle; means for rotating'the conveyors, the 1 tion opposite to that of the next superposed conveyor; and a'tro-ugh'located between-the lowermost conveyor and'the conveyor next 5 thereabove, the trough extending beneath" the surface of said liquid but not to the lower endsof the'conveyors so that an unobstructed space is left for subsidence and flotation of solids in the liquid,'said trough having perforations through the lower por tion; thellowermost conveyor when rotated causing passage of said" liquid through the perforations in s'a-idtrough and cond'ucing to circulation of thefliquid in the receptacle.- 4; An apparatus for V obtaining a fuel from the residues of furnace installations,

comprising: a receptacle; a separating fluid n the 'recept-acl'e, adapted to separate in a hydrostatic way the slaggy-constituents .of the residues from the coke-like constituents;

said receptacle havingjfa feedingopening and apoint of greatest depth to-receive the slaggy constitue'ntsfa conveyor extending into said receptacle "down to said point of greatestdepthand adapte d to seize and discharge said 'slaggy constituents; a second conveyor beneath said feeding opening and said first named conveyor, and adapted to vseize and discharge said coke-like constitu ents; a partition adjacent said second conveyor and separatingit'from the'first named 'conveyor;.'a 'substantiallyfree passage be tw'e en said feeding opening of greatest depth'; and jmeans to operate "said'conv'eyors;

5.'An pparatusffor'separating the conof heterogeneous mixtures wlthi extending into said receptacle'and ending on [a level higher than the deepest point of i and said point the aidof the hydrostatic action of a liqi'iid,'j

said apparatus comprising'a rece tacle hav-* or liquld 12 a point of greatest depth the bot-torn of the receptacle being inclined downwardly to said point of greatest depth;

separating-liquid in the receptacle having a specific gravity 'intermediatethe specific the constituents of the mlxture;

gravities of i i u the incline of said bottom extending without obstruction between their lower ends ntov the receptacle and into said liquid;.means for rotating .the conveyors, ,the lowermost.

conveyor being rotated in directionopposite to that of the next superposed conveyor; and a trough located between the lowermost conveyor and the. conveyor next thereabovc, said trough being arranged at an incline corresponding .to the incline of said conveyors and extending beneath the surface of said liquid but not to the lower ends of the conveyors so that an unobstructed space is left forsubsidence and flotation of solids in the liquid,-saidtrough having perforations through the extending portion the conveyors having different 'level reaches relativeto said liquid; the greatest depth of the conveyor belowt-he level of the liquid being at the deepest part of the receptacle; the lowermost conveyor beingadjacent to the bott-tom of the-receptacle and the reach thereof extending to the point of greatestdepth of the liquid in the receptacle; the lowermost conveyor when rotatedv causing passage of said liquid through the per-forations in said trough and conducing to circulation of the liquidin the receptacle and retention by said liquid of its density.

6. An apparatus for separating the cokelike constituents of the residues of furnace installations from the slaggy constituents proper with the aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid, comprising; a receptaclehaving a feeding opening and a point to assemble the slaggy constituents beneath said opening;separating fluid in saidreceptacle; a conveyor extending into said receptacle and reaching to said assembling point; a second conveyor extending into said receptacle on to beneath said feeding opening without any obstruction between its lower end and the lower end of-said first named conveyor which would prevent the s'ubsidence and flotation of the solid-material within saidliquid; and means to operate said conveyors.

.7. An apparatus for separating the cokelike constituents of the residues of furnace installations from the slaggy constituents proper with the aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid, comprising: a receptacle having a feedin opening; separating fluid in. said receptacle; means beneath said opening toassemble the slaggy constituents sinklng down within said fluid; two inclined superimposed conveyors within said receptacle,-

one of said conveyors extending down to said assembling means, the other one extend-' ing down. beneath said opening without causing an obstruction between said. openin and the lower endof thelower one of said conveyors; and means to operate said con- "veyors.

8. An apparatus for separating the constituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid, said apparatus comprising a receptacle having a point of greatest depth for liquid; separating liquid in the receptacle having a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of the constituents of the mixture; means for feeding material into saidliquid; a plurality of superposed rotatable worms extending into the receptacle and into said liquid; the worms having difi'erent level reaches relatively to said liquid; the lowermost vworm being adjacent to the bottom, of the receptacle and the reach thereof extending to the point of greatest depth of'the' liquid in the receptacle; means for rotating the WOI'II1S,'O116 of said worms being rotated in direction opposite to that of the adjacent worm; and a trough located between the lowermost worm and the worm next there-- above, the trough extending beneath the surface of said liquid for a portion of its length but not far enough to intervene between the lower ends of said worms whereby an unobstructed space is provided for subsidence and flotation of solids in the liquid; the said worms causing circulation of the'liquid in the receptacle.

9. An apparatus for separating the conreaches relatively to said liquid; the lowermost worm being adjacent to the bottom of the receptacle and the reach thereof extendingto the point of greatest depth of the liquid in the receptacle; means for rotating the worms, one of said worms being rotated in direction opposite to that of the adjacent worm; and a trough located between the lowermost worm and the worm next'thereabove, the trough extending beneath the surface of said liquid for a portion of its length butnot far enough to intervene between the lower ends of said worms whereby an unobstructed space is provided for subsidence and flotation of solids 'in'the liquid, said trough having perforationsthrough its lower portion; the lowermost worin' when rotated causing passage of said liquid through the perforations in said trough and conducing to the circulationof the liquid in the receptacle. v v

10. Separating. apparatus comprising in combination a tank containing a liquid havin a specific gravity intermediate the speinclined bottom a'pair of screwconveyors in the tank one above the other and extending in substantially the same direction, and a trough between said conveyors in which; the upper conveyor operates, the lower ends of both conveyors projecting into the sepa-- rating liquid without any direct obstruction between their lower ends preventing the subsidence and flotation of material in said liquid said tank being provided with a feed opening above the lower end of the upper conveyor whereby the lower oonveyorwill remove the heavier material and the upper conveyor the lighter material without interfering with the subsidence of the heavier material to the lowerconveyor.

11; The apparatusof'claim 10invwhich the wall of the tank at the lower end ofthe inclined bottom is inclined oppositely to the inclination of'the bottom in combination with feeding means which directs incoming material against saidinclined end 12. In separating apparatus the combina-' tion of a tank to contain a separating liquid having a'specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of the materials to be separated, a pair of inclined conveyors the lower ends of which project into the liquid in the tank to different levelsand without any obstruction between their lower ends preventing the subsidence and flotation of material in the liquid and means for continuously feeding the material into the liquid in said tank toward the submerged ends of the conveyors along an inclined path-of opposite inclination to that of theconveyors,

rise 1n whereby the lighter particles may the liquid without interferenceby t e incoming material.

13. In separating apparatus the combinationofi a trough-shaped tank wi'th-an inclined curved bottom and containing aliquid I having a specific gravity intermediatethe specific gravities of the materials to'be separated, a pair of screw conveyors in said;

tank having diameters substantially the same as the Width of the tank and arranged one above the other with the lower conveyor close to said curved inclined bottom, 'a

trough-like partition between said conveyors withwhich the upper conveyor cooperates, I

4 stituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the and which does not extend to the lower ends of the same whereby an unobstructed space is provided for the subsidence and flotation of the material in said liquid, and means for feeding material into the end of the tanked jacent the lower ends of the conveyors;

direction to the inclination of the bottom -a point "of greater depth to assemble the ing' material to said liquid; two superimand the feeding means arranged to feed'thc mate-rial upon said inclined end wall. a

15. Anapparatus for obtaining a fuel in the receptacle, adapted to separate in'a said receptacle having a feedin'g hopper and said slaggy constituents; an inclined side" wall adjacent said: point ofgreater depth; a conveyor extending into said receptacle down to said'point of greater depth;"a' worm slantingly disposed above said conhydrostatic way the slag'gy constituents of the residues from the coke-like constituents;

veyor within said receptacle,.the lower end of the worm being ad acent the lower end of saldconveyor; a partition between said worm and said conveyor, extending downto a point spaced from said side wall, so as to eave a substantially free; passage betweensaid hopper and the lower end of' said conveyor; and means to operate said conveyor and said worm. v

16.An' apparatus for obtaining a fuel from the residues of ffurnace installations, comprising; atrou h-like inclined receptacle; separating flui 'in-saidreceptacle; two; superimposed worms having substantially parallel inclined axes commonly disposed within said receptacle adjacent each other; the lower end portion of the upper one of said worms passing over the lower end of the other worm; a partition" between said worms adjacent to'both of them; andmeans to operate said worms.

17 An apparatus for separating the"conintermediate thefspeci c gravities of; the

constituents of the mixture; means for feed-I" posed worms obliquely extending into said" receptacle "and into-said'liquid, the lower" end ortion ofthe upper worm being dispose immediately above the lower endof;

the lower worm; a free passage between the lower end portions of said'worms to allow" the heavier constituents of-the mixture to sink to said point'of greater depth; and means to operatefsaid worms.- 7

18. An apparatus for separating the con;

aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid, comprisingz a'receptacle having a point of eater depth for liquid;'* separating liquid in'the .receptaclehavin .a specific gravity, intermediate the speci c' g'ravities of the constituentsof-the mixture; means for feed I 'stituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the ing material to said liquid; two 'superimposed worms obliquely extending into said receptacle and into said liquid, the lower comprising: .a trough-like inclined receptacle; sep'aratlng flu1d in sand receptacle;

, {two superimposed wworms having inclined .faxes, commonly disposed vwithin-said receptacle adjacent each other; the lower end portion of the upper one of said worms passing over the lower end of the other worm; a jacent to 0th of them; and means to rotate the worms in a different sense.

20. An apparatus for obtaining, a fuel from the residues of furnace installations, comprising: a trough-like inclined receptacle; separating fluid in-said receptacle; two superimposed worms h'aving substantially parallel inclined axes commonly disposed within said receptacleadjacent each other; .the lower end portion of the upper one of said worms extending beyond the lowerend of the other worm; a partition between said worms adjacent to both of them; and means to rotatethe lower worm faster than the upper one.

21 An apparatus for separating the constituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the aid of the hydrostatic action of a liquid, comprising: a receptacle having avpoint of greater depth for liquid; separating liquid in the receptacle having a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of the constituents of the mixture; means for feeding material to said liqu1d;J two superimposed worms obliquely extendingv into said receptacle and into said liquid, thelower end portion of the upper worm being disposed immediately above the lowerend of the lower .worm; afree passage between the lower end portions of said worms to allow the heavier constituents of the mixture to sink to said point of greater depth; and means to rotate the upper worm in one direction and the lower one in'the other :direce tion and with a greater speed. I 1 q 22. An apparatus for separating the ,con-

.stituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the aid' of the hydrostatic action of a liquid,

said apparatus comprising a receptacle having a pointof greater depth forliquid;

separating liquid in the receptacle havin a specific gravity. intermediate the spec fic gravities of the constituents of the mixture; means for feeding material into saidliquid; two superimposed rotatable worms extending into the receptacle and into said liquid, without any direct obstruction between their .point ofgreater depth of the liqui artition between said worms adlower ends preventing the subsidence and flotation of the material in sa d liquid; the wormsharmg different level reaches relatively to said liquid; the lowermost worm being adjacent to the bottom of the rece taclc and the reach thereof'extendin to t 1e 5 in the receptacle; a perforated partition between the worms and adj acentthe upper one; and means-for rotating the worms, one of said worms being rotated in a direction opposite to that of the. adjacent worm; the worms when rotated causing a circulation of the liquid in the receptacle.

23. In an apparatus for separating the differently heavy constituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the aid of a separating liquid, the combination of: a tank having a feeding hopper and a point to assemble the heavier constituents ;-a separating liquid in said tank, having a vdensity intermediate the specific' gravities of the constituents to be separated; two longitudinally superimrmsed conveyors extending into the tank and into said liquid, the reach of the lowermost of said conveyors extending to said assembling point, the reach of the up permost conveyor extending beyond the lower end of the lowermost conveyor and beneath said feeding hopper without any obstruction preventing the subsidence and flotation of the material in said liquid; and means for operating the conveyors. I

24. In an apparatus for separating the differently heavy constituents of, heterogeneousmixtures with the aid of aseparating liquid. the combination of: a tank having a feeding hopper and a point to assemble the heavier constituents; a separating liquid in said'tank, having a density intermediate the specific gravities' of the constituentsto be separated; a conveyor extending into the tank and down to said assembling point; a second conveyor obliquely disposed in said tank and extending .with' its lower end portion to apoint substantially vertically above the lower end portion of said first named conveyor withoutany obstruction preventing the subsidence and flota -difi'erently heavy constituents of heterogeneous mixtures with the aid of a separating liquid the combination of: a tank having a feeding hopper and a point to assemble theheavier constituents; a separating liquid in said tank, having a density intermediate the specific gravities of the consituents to be separated; a conveyor extending into the tank and down to said assembling point; a second conveyor obliquely disposed in said tank and extending with its lower end portion to a point substantially vertically above the lower. end portion of said first named conveyor Without In testimony whereof I affix my signature any obstruction preventing the subsidence m presence of two wltnesses.

and flotation of the material in said liquid; ADOLF FRIEDRICH MULLER. a partition between said conveyors and ad- Vitnesses: 5 jacent to said second conveyor; and means H. ANGERKAMEN,

for operating the conveyors. OTTO LEY. 

